Lionel Richie & Dave Grohl talk Motown, retirement + more in a SiriusXM Town Hall

Lionel Richie, one of the world’s all-time best-selling artists, invited an intimate group of SiriusXM subscribers and celebrity guests (including Reba McEntire, Ronnie Dunn, Nicole Richie, Cameron Diaz, and Joel and Benji Madden) to sit around his piano while he performed at Axis at Planet Hollywood earlier this month in a Town Hall event hosted by Dave Grohl.

Celebrating his upcoming Las Vegas residency, he and Grohl swapped stories in between performances of the Motown legend’s most memorable songs from the past five decades.

Lionel Richie, who is good friends with Grohl, recalled how he was excited to see him play for the first time when they were both on the Glastonbury bill a year ago but was never able to due to the Foo Fighters’ frontman infamously breaking his ankle.

Grohl went on to mention how Richie sent him a large basket of English muffins as a get-well gesture, and Grohl in turn surprised his friend at the Town Hall with a bucket of muffins so large it had to be carried in by two stagehands.

Lionel Richie reminisced about being signed to Motown and learning about songwriting from Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder.

He also discussed his thoughts on retirement: “Retire from what? Oh, you mean a job? I’ve never had one of those in my life.”

Elsewhere in the Q&A, they discussed Richie’s favourite artists and songs, the inspiration for his hit Lady, his relationship with his grandmother, and his advice for aspiring musicians, among other topics.

You can hear the full Town Hall on SiriusXM Love (Ch. 17) Saturday 5/21 at 9 am ET and Sunday 5/22 at 9 pm ET. It will also air on The Blend (Ch. 16) Saturday 5/28 at 10 pm ET, Sunday 5/29 at 3 pm ET, and Monday 5/30 at 8 am ET and 9 pm ET.